United Nations-African Union Joint Task Force on Peace and Security

 

Holds Third Consultative Meeting in New York, 19 September

 

On 19 September, the United Nations-African Union Joint Task Force on Peace and Security held its third consultative meeting at United Nations Headquarters in New York.  The African Union Commission and the United Nations Secretariat were represented, respectively, by Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra, and Under-Secretaries-General B. Lynn Pascoe (Political Affairs) and Susana Malcorra (Field Support), as well as Edmond Mulet, Assistant Secretary-General and Officer in Charge of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General designate for Peacekeeping Operations.  They were accompanied by other senior officials from the two organizations.

The Joint Task Force reviewed the situations in Libya, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan, and agreed on the steps and arrangements needed to strengthen and ensure greater coherence in the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union in those countries, within the framework of Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter.

On Libya, the Joint Task Force reviewed the situation in light of Security Council resolution 2009 (2011), establishing the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which gave the Organization a central role in coordinating international assistance to Libya, as well as the relevant communiqués of the African Union Peace and Security Council and the Ad Hoc Committee on Libya.  The Joint Task Force agreed on the need to take steps to ensure coordinated support to Libya.  The participants welcomed the commitment of the National Transitional Council to establish an all-inclusive national unity Government, promote reconciliation, ensure the safety of foreign nationals in Libya, in particular those who have been threatened, mistreated and/or detained, and contribute to efforts to address the challenges posed by the proliferation of weapons and terrorist threats in the region.  The Joint Task Force agreed on the need to work together, in the context of the Cairo Group format, in support of the National Transitional Council to implement its transition plans.

On Somalia, the Joint Task Force acknowledged the new realities on the ground and agreed to strengthen cooperation and complementarity of efforts.  The Joint Task Force applauded the leadership of the African Union, in particular through the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), in stabilizing the situation in the country, and paid tribute to the sacrifices made by the Burundian and Ugandan forces.  The Joint Task Force discussed follow-up action to assist the implementation of the Transitional Federal Government Road Map to End the Transition and to secure enhanced support to AMISOM.  In this regard, the Joint Task Force agreed to focus on helping AMISOM reach its mandated level of 12,000 troops.  It also agreed to follow up on the preparation of plans and resources for the next phase of AMISOM operations and looked forward to the upcoming resolution of the Security Council on the renewal of AMISOM’s mandate and the extension of the United Nations support package to AMISOM.  The Joint Task Force underscored the dire humanitarian situation in Somalia, and pledged to consider ways to assist AMISOM to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Somali population.

Regarding Darfur, the participants concurred that only an inclusive political process, including all stakeholders, belligerent and non-belligerent, could achieve sustainable peace in Darfur and a political settlement that ensures stability for Darfur.  Participants supported the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur and the commencement of the Darfur Political Process inside Darfur.  The Joint Task Force commended the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) for all its efforts on the ground to protect civilians and support humanitarian and early-recovery efforts, while also agreeing on the need to continue efforts to maximize the impact of the mission on the ground.

On relations between Sudan and South Sudan, the Joint Task Force recognized that close African Union-United Nations collaboration will continue to support the parties in their efforts to avert a worsening of the security situation in Abyei, Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile and along the border, and a deterioration in relations between Sudan and South Sudan.  The Joint Task Force welcomed the African Union High Level Implementation Panel’s ongoing efforts, including its facilitation of the 20 June Agreement on Temporary Security and Administrative Arrangements for Abyei (and launch of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee on 7-8 September); the 28 June Framework Agreement on political and security arrangements for Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan; the 29 June Agreement on Border Security and the Joint Political and Security Mechanism; and the 30 July Agreement on a Border Monitoring Support Mission.  The meeting underscored the importance of ongoing African Union-United Nations engagement towards implementation of those agreements and, in that context, was encouraged by the commitment of the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan to withdraw their armed forces from Abyei by the end of September.  The Joint Task Force also noted the importance of the African Union’s long-term political engagement for the success of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), including resolution of the final status of Abyei.  The Joint Task Force welcomed the efforts of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel, in coordination with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, to find a settlement to the conflict in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan.

On South Sudan, the Joint Task Force commended the peaceful implementation of the result of the referendum, and congratulated the people of South Sudan on the recognition of their sovereign independence.  The meeting acknowledged that the road ahead, though promising, remains fraught with challenges and that the international community must maintain focus on assisting the Government of South Sudan deliver the independence dividend.  The meeting agreed to establish close cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, while providing assistance to the Government and the people of South Sudan.

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For information media • not an official record